Morning journal and courier., 1887-02-21
REV. DIR. pRoK,s sERmoN.


the Trinity M. E. church to hear Rev. DIR.
Peck's sermon on can Afternoon with Canon
Farrar in Westminster Abbey" Many peo-
pie were turned away unable to gain admit
lance to the church. DE-. Peck has been in
Westminster Abbey. He has heard Canon
Farrar preach. In the sermon which he de-
ivered last night he gave an elegant deserip-
ton of the Abbey, of Canon Farrar and of
his sermon. The descriptions were set out
with such boldness of outline that no one
present but could imagine himself in
the grand and historic surroundings of the
Abbey and almost in the presence of the
Canon. The following is a synopsis of the
sermon:
One is awed as he stands beneath the SOL
emn grandeur of Westminster Abbey, when
he recalls that this edifce covers the entire
history of the English nation and has wit
messed all the changes, commissions and rev.
olutions through which the government has
passed from the stern monarchy of Edward
the Confessor to the period of the common
wealth under Cromwell and back again to
monarchy, which has developed into con-
stitutional sovereignty. It epitomizes ma
TONS life. A national historic interest at
tached to the Abbey is that in this ediice all
the sovereigns from King Harold in 1866 to
Queen Victoria have been crowned.
But let US enter that famous abbey. The
impression as one passes the portal and
stands at the center of the cross (Which is the
form of the edifce) is very striking. The
upright part of the cross 513 feet, the tran
sept or arms of the cross 200 feet in length,
the aisles rs feet broad; twenty stained
glass windows decorating and dimly lighting
the abbey; the harmonious proportions, the
neatness of color and fresco, the beauty of
the Presbick marble columns-all combine
to purchase admiration and awe, wonder and
worshipful reverence. Several chapels open
into and constitute parts of the abbey.
These chapels are the burial places of the
succession of kings and queens who have
reigned we'll or i'll over Great Britain.
Here is the chapel of Edward, its confessor,
who built Westminster Abbey, made VOW to
St. Peter. The objects of most curious
interest are an old chair and plain stone.
That plain old fashioned chair, which the
most enthusiastic relic hunter would scarcely
tolerate in parlor, is the coronation chair
The stone is homely piece of work called
the "Stone of Scone." For ages it was the
famous emblem of the power of the Scottish
kings on which they sat to be crowned. The
stone was brought to London by Edward 1.
in 1897 in token of the complete subjugation
of Scotland to British sway. And the stone
is by tradition said to be the identical stone
on which the patriarch Jacob slept when he
had that strange dream on MS Q1SnG
from home. For six hundred years every
monarch has been crowned in that old chair,
imbedded in which is that rude stone, over
which chair and stone rich gold brocade is
folded as they are placed in the chair of the
abbey the day of the coronation.
Wander down the aisles of transept and
nave, and you are f1anked on either hand by
and statues of the distinguished
dead: statesmen whose voices were eloquent
in debate, and whose counseis were pursuant
in shaping the course of dynasties; poets who
were gifted in song and whose poetry has
em balmed the richest treasures of thought
in undying verse; philosophers whose renown
has filed the world philanthropists whose
work for mankind is as fadeless as the stars;
clergymen whose lives and labors have
sorung an eternal archway of light above
their names; soldiers who carved the glory of
the na ion on immortal fields with the point
of their swords; painters, sculptors, artisans,
inventors, generals who have won the admit
ration of the world. All are around you.
1t was on beautiful Sabbath afternoon of
July 2, 1882, that heard Canon Farrar, amid
these grand surroundings, preach. The seats
were filed before the hour. The solemn still
ness and the imposing grandeur of the abbey,
together with the reverent hush and awe of
the worshippers, were very impressive. At
the moment ofsthree O'Clock, without prelude
or note from the grand organ, and without
rustic sound of premonition from the in
visible choir, there suddenly and softly fell
into the vast silence-''Anen."
The effect was magical.
1t seemed to have dropped out of heaven
one stray note from the song of a seraph.
Or was it Gods benediction on our waiting
heads? 'Amenr'
1T flooded the crimson twilight
Like the close of an angels psalm,
And it lay my fevered spirit
With a touch of infinite calm"
The peace of God came with the word. The
vision of heaven opened to me, "And all an
gels stood about the throne saying, Amen"
Inever expect to hear that note on earth
again.
ut may be that deaths bright angel
Will speak in that chord again;
1t may be that only in heaven
shall hear that grand Amen"
Of the service that followed need only
say that it WAS the usual Episcopal form.
The preacher commands our attention. He
announces his text, ''Prove al things; hold
fast that which is good. u Thess v, 81.
1t was genuine surprise to hear the most
popular preacher of the Established church |
n England in her most venerated and re-
1owned abbey before an immense congrega-
ion that filled the vast nave and crowded |
he aisles of the Minister announce for his |
heme a religious movement which has large
y elected soothing from the ungodly or CEN |
ure from the majority of Christians-the |
Salvation army. |
We have a movement in our midst, said |
Deacon Farrar, which is history repeating it |
self, movement marked by the same ex-
,esses and fa-aticisms, mingled with much |
hat is good, that characterize the primitive |
church of Corinth. 1 am to speak of the Sal |
ration army. It is difficult and |
dangerous theme to touch, for whatever may
De mans utterance he is sure to be blamed |
sy one side or the other. Nevertheless 1
'hall speak plainly and in a profound desire |
lot to transgress Christian charity.
Ia the early days of Christianity Christ and
his apostles had to deal with heresies and
abuses in the church. Their efforts were
divided 80 as not to quench the spirit in
men, but to separate the evil from the good. |
They aimed to eliminate what was fanatical |
md erroneous from what was vital and in
rinsic. l shall try to follow in their foot |
steps.
We are not afraid, said the Canon of those |
whom the spirit employs to cast out devils |
to reform and recover from vicious lives |
he multitudes who do evil. In great towns
here are vast masses of popu--
alton that are not reached
" the regular clergy Some irregular and /
means become more effective in
reforming these unchurched
nultitudes. Hence the work of Moody and
'arkey achieves great good. They may
each many whom the church will not. But /
With the methods and means of the Salvation
rmy the church has less sympathy. This
ermon is not meant to put a check upon the
york of the Salvationists. They will not be
,ersecuted, but protected throughout the
calm. While they trumpet their power and
,oast of their progress and numbers in the
uni ed Kingdom, in Australia and in other
ands and announce the GOODNESS and formal
ty of the church, even sighting her sacra-
nents, it must be understood that the Church
r. ENGLAND does not assume the At
itude of antagonism to the
salvation army. She has learned
clearance by the mistake of the poet. There
) a marked difference in he present attitude
oward this movement, and the manner in
which she treated the work of Wesley. She Is
ar more considerate OF the salvationists than
he was of the great Wesleyan reformation
;he cannot afford to repeat those mistakes
While there were no such shams, military
tiles, beating of drums and furnishing of